Feeding device for sewing machines and the like



Dec. 5, 1944.

L. M. B ALLAMY ET AL FEEDING DEVICE. FOR SEWING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed May 11, 1942 STATE Patented Dec. 5, 1944 Y i AND THELIKE Ioes lie Mark Ballamy,

Richard Hasell Shee bridge, England Caterha r nomHill, and

pshanks Eyke, Wood- Application May 11, 1942, Sara No. 442,574 InGreat Britain July 11,1941

7 Claims. (01. 112-215) This invention relates to feeding devices for sewing machines and the like.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide animproved form and construc tion of feeding device which is applicable in particular to the feeding oi fibrous materials in a loose, flocculent layer to the needle or needles of a sewing machine which latter is adapted to iormone or more rows of reinforcing stitching in the layer of fibrous material; I he invention tirely unsupported except for the stitching, al; though theinventionis also applicable to cases where abackingof textile or other fabric, paper,

or the like isv used to supportthe fibrous layer,

r ,or where the latter is sandwiched between a pair of such supporting sheets to form quilting.

According to theinvention there is provided for feeding loose fibrous material to a sewing or like machine, a feeding device comprising a rejciprocating presser foot which is driven-by a pair of cranks or equivalent, said foot having a rigidly mounted part engaging with one ofthe cranks or equivalent andfbeing connected with theft-ther crank or equivalent bymeans of a pivotally mounted link member. 1

As a further aspect of the invention the feeding device may comprise a presser foot which is driven by a pair of cranks or equivalent, one being arranged to act uponthe presser foot at that. end adjacent the sewing machine needle, and the other being displaejed therefrom towards the entryend of the presser foot;

, Conveniently the cranks orequivalent have unequal radii of action that: crank or equivalent disposed nearer the entry end of the presser foot preferably having the larger radius of action: also the cranksor equivalent may be displaced in place relative to], one another, that crank or equivalent corresponding to the entry end of the presser foot usually being retarded with respect to the crank or equivalent adjacent the sewing machine needle or needles. If desired the cranks or equivalent may be provided upon mutually parallel shafts which are driven in common. Further the presser foot may comprise a plate which, 1

" at a position adjacent the sewing machine needle, is provided with a rigidly carried upwardly extending bracket, the upper end of whichyengages with one of the cranks or equivalent; one

end of the presser foot'may be formed with a plurality of forwardly directed fingers arranged to press upon the fibrous material alongside the needle or needles of the sewing machine.

The invention isillustrated by way of exam-- ,ple in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing,

in which:

Figure ljis a side elevation of one form of, feeding device, the associated needlebar and the driving mechanism being shown in broken lines;

Figure 2 isa sectional plan taken on the line Figures 3a to Sit inclusive are side elevations showing the various stages in the cycle of operations of the; feeding device shown in Figures 1 and 2. 1

'I 'he feeding deviceshown inFigures 1 and 2 comprises afsubstantially rectangular plate Hi, which iscurved longitudinally so that its under surface His convex; The forward end of the platedll, i.- e., thatend whichlies adjacent the sewing, machine needles I2, is formed with a plurality of forwardly extending projections [3 adapted tofextendalongside and between the needles I2so as to support the fibrous material while the latter is being sewn. Thefibrous material is indicated in broken lines at M, and is conveniently delivered to the entry end i5 of the feeding deviceby' means of anendless band conveyor l6 which passes over a roller I1, the fibrous material Mbeing thus transferred to the surface of the throat plate 18 of the sewingma chine. 1 i

In the sewing machine'which is shown in the drawing the needles I2 which are associated with the plate III are carried bya needle-holder l9 atthe lower end of a single needlebar 20, the "latter being driven by means ofan eccentric 2| upon a driving shaft 22 and being arranged to slide within a pivoted guide member 23 in the known manner.

For imparting the desired motion to the plate II] a pair-of transverse shafts 24 and 25 having crank pins 26 and 2'lrespectively are driven each in an anti-clockwise direction at a speed equal to that of the driving shaft 22 for the needlebar I 20, this eflfect conveniently being obtained by arranging for a driving chain '28 to pass around sprockets 29 and 30 upon the shafts and 25, g i

and around a driving sprocket 3| driven from the shaft 22, but in the oppositedirection, by means of a pair of equal-diameter gear wheels 32 and 33. The crank pin 26 fits rotatably within a hearing at the upper end of a bracket 34 secured rigidly to the forward part of the plate l0, while the latter is formed adjacent its entry end I 5 by a pair of upstanding lugs 35 carrying a transverse pin 36, which forms the lower pivotal mounting of alink 31, the upper end of said link,

being fitted to the crank pin 21.

The radius of action of the crank pin 21 is preferably somewhat greater than that of the crank pin 26, and if the crank pin 26 is arranged to lead slightly, say by 45, the movements of the plate In constituting the presser foot will be substantially as shown in Figure 3. As the crank pin 21 reaches its top dead centre,

as shown in Figure 3a, the plate Hl assumes its substantially fully-raised position, with its entry end [5 well raised to receive the relatively looseincoming layer of fibrous material. The plate then moves downwards bodily with the requisite which is imparted to the plate can be varied considerably by modifying the radii of action of the crank pin 26 and. 21, the sense and magnitude of their relative phase displacement, the positions of the shafts 24 and 25 with respect to one another and to the plate I 0', and the position of the pivot pin 36 with respect to the plate Ill. l

The invention is intended primarily for use in connection with sewing machines having a row of needlebars, each of which carries a plurality of needles so as to produce a large number of rows of stitching simultaneously. As it is usual for the needlebars of such machines to be run at differentphases it will of course be realised that the corresponding presser foot will normally be timed to suit the needlebar to which it belongs. The shafts 24 and 25 could, however, extend completely across the machine so as to drive all of the presser feet, the crank pins 26 and 21 in each case being arranged to match the phase relationship of the eccentric 2| or equivalent driving mechanism of the corresponding needlebar 20.. The under surface H of the plate II) can, of course, be, grooved longitudinally and/or transversely, or may be of any suitable shape or texture, so as to provide the desired gripping action in conjunction with the fibrous material to be sewn.

It will, of course, be understo'od that the arrangement which is illustrated is given merely as' an example and that the construction of the feeding device can be modified in various ways to suit particular requirements.

What we claim is:

1. Means for feeding loose fibrous material to a sewing machine, includinga plate extending in advance of the sewing machine needle and all) forming a pressure foot to overlie and cooperate throughout its length with the material, a crank and link device connected with that part of the plate remote from the needle for alternately raising and lowering said remote part of the plate, and a continuously rotating crank device driven in common with the crank and link device and connected rigidly with that part of mechanism including an element pivotally con nected with the plate, remote from the rigid connection of said first element.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, wherein each, crank-operating mechanism includes a crank, and wherein such cranks are of unequalv radii of action respectively.

4. Aconstruction as defined in claim 2, wherein eachcrank-operating mechanism includes a crank, and wherein the movement of one crank is retarded with respect to the movement. of the other crank.

5. A construction as defined in claim 2, Wherein each crank-operating mechanism includes a crank, and wherein the movement of. the crank of the mechanism adjacent the advance end of the plate is accelerated with respect to the movement of thecrank of the other crank mechanism.

6. Means for feeding loose fibrous or like material to a sewing or like machine, including a plate positioned above a throat plate of the machine and having advance and rear ends with relation to the direction of feed of the material, means for operating the advance end or the plate, independent means for operating the-rear end of the .plate, and means to coordinate the respective operating means of the respective ends of the plate to compel relatively different movements thereof, with respect to the material.

'7. A construction as defined in claim 2 wherein the element of the crank mechanism pivotally connected with the plate remote from the rigid connection of the first element, has a relatively larger radius of action than the element of the crank mechanism at the advance end of the plate.

LESLIE MARK BALLAMY.

RICHARD HASELL SHEEPSHANKS. 

